Stand-up comedy, or impromptu comedy, or what is known as Stand up Comedy, is a type of comedy, called the art of one person, as the performer stands before an audience on the stage, begins to make jokes, and talks about specific topics in a sarcastic and funny way, with which the audience interacts with them Or, it is the art that one of its Emirati youth, Abdullah Al-Qassab, described as "the art of extracting laughter from hearts."

In recent years, this art has captured the minds and hearts of many, especially young people in the Arab world, and its shows have been held in cultural clubs, cafes and youth gatherings, and some have taken social media platforms as a way to reach the public.

And this artistic wave spread until it reached the Emirates, and events were held for it within the major art festivals held at the country level, including the "podium" festival, which was organized by the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), in the open air.

"Emirates Today" sheds light on the art of the "stand-up" Emirati comic, and the extent of its success among the youth in dealing with some societal issues in the language of laughter and ridicule.

Skills and messages

Citizen Abdullah Ali (Abz), one of the most prominent Emirati faces in "stand up comedy" shows, began his career when he was 17 years old, participated in various festivals in New Zealand and the UAE, and was the first Emirati to perform in the Laugh Factory and The Comedy Store in Los Angeles.

On the skills that encouraged ABZ to enter the world of the "stand-up", Abdullah Ali told "Emirates Today" that "talent is the basis, as the person who provides the (stand-up comic) must be distinguished by his high sense of humor and his ability to present ideas and observations in a way Funny, and he can then develop his skill in building the joke and its quality, and possess the ability to improvise, and has an eye that criticizes and sees what the ordinary viewer sees ».

Ali continues: “Often, the topics raised by the stand-up artist address his personal life, the situations that occur with him, and various social issues, concerning his society and other societies.” He goes on to say: “I address in my presentation various issues about different cultures, as the Emirates are incubated for more than 150 nationalities, and this diversity and integration into one environment that satisfies everyone, and this is what makes us have more room for comedy to talk about, to build an article that contains a fun joke and a slight joke, without offending anyone. ”

The message is humane

Abdullah responds to some accusing the art of "stand-up comic" by raising issues and issues without real depth, up to the point of flattening "This cannot be generalized, this depends on the method followed by the (stand-up) performers first, and if we look at history, specifically Until the sixties in America, we will see that the artists of this art played a role in social life, as the comedians were on the stage and dealt with sensitive issues, such as discrimination and other deep issues, and this art contributed even a small part to the movement of awareness among some ».

Grab a laugh

Abdullah Al-Qassab, who is one of the distinguished in the Emirati stand-up comedy shows, and who presented distinguished offers to families across the Emirates, believes that «the art of (stand-up comedy) is one of the difficult arts, so grabbing laughter from viewers is not easy, and finding ideas that It can be presented in a comic format, which may be separated by a thin line from the mockery of others.

He continues: «The stand up is an art that is based on a complete fusion between the problems of the artist and the audience in a sarcastic and comedic way, as this art depends on the one actor who stands in front of the audience, and speaks with him directly, and he must be characterized by movement, intuition, humor, and improvisation» .

Al-Gassab asserts that "the Arab public accepts this type of art in a wonderful way, and therefore is keen to present its performances in the Arabic language, to go beyond the problem of imitating the foreigner."

Amateur League

The artist, Abdullah Al-Qassab, called for the creation of an international association based in the Emirates that brings together "stand-up comic" enthusiasts from all over the world under its umbrella, hoping that the coming years will witness the existence of specialized academies to produce a new generation, in a way that suits the nature of the age in which people live today.

This art captured the minds and hearts of many, especially young people in the Arab world.

The stand-up artist deals with his personal life, and topics related to his and other societies.